Business United in Investing Lending and Development
Building Entrepreneurial Experiences for Teens
Fast Facts
Multiple across the United States (Boston, MA; East Palo Alto, Oakland and Los Angeles, CA; New York, NY; Pittsburgh, PA; Washington, DC)
Patricia Klahr
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Job Skills, Education
How Business United in Investing Lending and Development (BUILD) Is Making a Difference
BUILD is a four-year college preparation program for youth from under-resourced communities that empowers them through entrepreneurship education so that they can build career success, entrepreneurial mindsets, and opportunity.
BUILD seeks to help develop a world where all students, regardless of race, socio-economic status, or neighborhood, develop the skills and connections needed to achieve economic power and freedom.
Work of BUILD
- Offers a multi-year entrepreneurship program for high school students in under-resourced communities, blending real-world business experience with college preparation.
- Trains educators and mentors to deliver curriculum and support student-led business ventures.
- Connects students with volunteer business mentors, corporate partners and experiential opportunities to build networks and social capital.
- Develops “spark skills” (communication, collaboration, innovation, self-management) via project-based learning and student ventures.
- Measures impact across student outcomes, educator effectiveness and community change, and scales programs into additional cities.
Initiatives Supported by Project Redwood
2008: $25,000 to fund Site Directors who work with at-risk high school students.
2009: $20,000 to fund youth incubators that help at-risk high school students prepare for college success.
2010: $25,000 to support the expansion of a Youth Business and Academic incubator in East Oakland.
2011: $25,000 to help expand student participation and improve programs in East Oakland.